Dear readers and friends, Original version (Italian)
Also today a coaching article on PIAGET'S THEORY AND THE EVOLUTION OF MATURITY. This article also has the function of helping if accompanied by sincere introspection, because as I always repeat: no one can lie to themselves and it is useless to make fun of yourself. These articles stimulate self-understanding, acceptance, change where you can and above all love yourself. Obviously anyone who needs help must contact the staff assigned to do so.
Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development examined how children construct a mental model of the world. Piaget did not believe in the concept of "fixed" intelligence, arguing that it was instead based on cognitive maturation influenced by the environment and socialization. Piaget's theory breaks down the evolution of maturity into four developmental stages, each of which focuses on how children, and later adults, acquire knowledge.
According to Piaget's theory, there are 4 stages of cognitive development :
- SENSORY-MOTOR PHASE
- PRECONCEPTUAL PHASE
- CONCRETE OPERATIONS PHASE
- FORMAL OPERATIONS PHASE
The early stages of cognitive development are based on sensory experiences to which babies respond through motor responses, reflexes and their basic senses, learning about the world by looking, grasping, listening and sucking. In this stage children grow rapidly and their experiences are immense and vast: they begin to understand that their actions can cause changes in the world around them and they come to terms with the permanence of objects (i.e. things continue to exist even when they do not you see).
PRECONCEPTUAL PHASE : FROM 2 TO 7 YEARS
The preconceptual stage is when children begin to develop characteristics, memories and opinions. They build on the fundamental understanding of language gained in the previous stage and begin to think symbolically and use words and images to communicate and play creatively. Although they have fantastic imaginations, they still do not fully understand logic. For example, you might offer a child a £1 coin or five pence worth 5p. A child is more likely to take the 5 cents because he believes there is more value in their quantity rather than their economic value. While they still understand the idea of different perspectives, they are not at a stage where they can empathize and adopt other people's perspectives.
CONCRETE OPERATIONS PHASE : AGES 7 TO 11
This is the age where logic begins to play a role in children's thinking, even though they are still very literal. As their self-centeredness begins to disappear and they begin to engage in the art of conversation, reasoning and logical interpretation. Through conversation, they begin to understand different perspectives, develop empathy, and come to terms with their own thoughts and opinions and how they compare to the thoughts and opinions of others.
FORMAL OPERATIVE PHASE: AGES 12 AND UP
In this phase, abstract thinking and the ability to contemplate, solve problems and develop hypotheses develop. Their minds are now able to embrace philosophical concepts such as politics, morality, ethics, social issues and theories. Cognition is now capable of not only perceiving and empathizing with multiple perspectives, but also processing multiple solutions to problems, critical thinking, systematic planning, and scientific reasoning.
An alternative theory to that of Piaget is that of Erik Erikson. Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory was inspired by Freud's controversial theory of psychosexual development. His theory argued that the ego positively influenced development by mastering ideas, skills and attitudes at each stage. He stated that at every stage of development there was always a conflict that a child had to overcome to become a mature and well-developed adult.
TRUST VS DISTRUST: 0-12 MONTHS
This is the period when children learn to trust adults to meet their survival needs. Because children depend on adults for survival, they invest trust in those who respond to and satisfy their primitive needs and subsequently develop the belief that the world itself is safe too. Parents or guardians who neglect children during this stage in any form risk instilling a sense of anxiety, mistrust and fear in a child who will eventually see the world as unpredictable and unstable. The more severe the neglect at this stage, the deeper the child's mistrust and fear of the world.
AUTONOMY VS SHAME/DOUBT: 1-3 YEARS
During this stage of life, children learn that their actions have consequences in the world around them. They begin to establish independence and preferences in life for things like toys, food, and clothing. If they are denied their autonomy in some way, for example forced to eat foods or wear clothes they don't like, they may begin to doubt their own tastes and preferences and feel ashamed for liking (or not liking) what they do.
INITIATIVE VS GUILT: 3-6 YEARS
When children enroll in school and begin to create groups of friends, they have both the physical and mental opportunities to initiate interactions, games and activities. Parents who allow their children to explore and take initiative to talk and play with others help their children embrace ambition and responsibility. Those who exercise excessive control and do not give their children the freedom to explore risk stifling trust in children which fuels feelings of guilt for being “inadequate”.
INDUSTRY VS INFERIORITY: 6-12 YEARS
This is the age when children begin to compare themselves to their peers, developing a sense of pride and accomplishment or inferiority and inadequacy based on their appearance, homework, talents, or cultural/racial background. Children who do not learn to accept the difference between themselves and others or who have negative experiences of being compared to others by peers or parents may develop an inferiority complex that will follow them into adulthood.
IDENTITY VS ROLE CONFUSION: 12-18 YEARS
According to Erikson, the main task of an adolescent is to develop a sense of self. Adolescents explore a variety of roles, purposes, relationships, goals, and ideas to answer the questions they have the most difficulty with: “Who am I?” and “What do I want to do with my life?” Those who succeed at this stage develop a strong sense of identity, while those who don't try; or struggle to engage in anything they invest their time and energy in doing or being; or feeling pressured to conform to their parents' ideas for the future may develop a weak sense of self.
INTIMACY VS ISOLATION: 20-40 YEARS
Once we have addressed (or at least begun to address) the complicated relationship we have with ourselves, our primary concern turns to how we share our lives with others. Those who have complicated and unstable relationships with themselves may find that they struggle with intimacy as adults and are at greater risk of feeling lonely and emotionally isolated.
GENERATIVITY VS STAGNATION: 40-60 YEARS
By the time people reach their 40s, they have usually lived a life of relationships and self-exploration that leads them to battle generativity against stagnation. Generativity refers to a person's work and life demonstrating meaning through meaningful endeavors that contribute to the larger society as a whole. Those who don't reach out to deeper meaning end up feeling stagnant and disconnected from themselves and others.
INTEGRITY VS DESPERATION: 60-DEATH
Erikson argued that this stage of life is one of reflection: people evaluate whether they feel satisfied or dissatisfied with the life they have lived. Those who are proud of what they have dedicated to their life feel like they have lived a life of integrity, while those who are filled with regret and shame may feel as if they have wasted their time and are haunted by feelings of depression and hopelessness.
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